How to use iPhone 14's new emergency SOS text via satellite feature - ZDNet

Apple connected Tuesday flipped the power to crook connected Emergency SOS via satellite connected each iPhone 14 models. The caller diagnostic fundamentally amounts to substance messaging with exigency responders, but alternatively of utilizing a cellular oregon Wi-Fi network, you're utilizing a outer to nonstop messages backmost and forth. 

Before you tin usage the caller feature, marque definite your iPhone 14 is moving the latest mentation of iOS 16.1 oregon above. 

Apple started rolling retired the diagnostic connected Nov. 15, without the request for an further app oregon bundle update. 

Once your telephone has access, you'll spot a notification badge connected the Settings app and an point labeled, "Get Help During an Emergency." 

Another mode to cheque if your iPhone 14 has the diagnostic is to unfastened the Settings app and spell to Emergency SOS. Then scroll to the bottommost of the leafage wherever you'll see Emergency SOS via satellite and an enactment to effort a demo (more connected that successful a minute). 

Also: New iPhone 14 models compared: Which 1 should you buy?

Image: Apple

How to usage Emergency SOS via outer

If you ever find yourself successful an exigency concern and successful an country with nary cellular oregon Wi-Fi coverage, you commencement the process for contacting exigency services by dialing 911. The telephone surface connected your iPhone volition alert you that you don't person sum to spot the call, and past a greenish connection fastener with a reddish SOS motion volition amusement up. The fastener is labeled Emergency Text via Satellite; pat it. 

Alternatively, you tin unfastened the Messages app and commencement a substance connection thread to 911 and select Emergency Services. 

Next, you'll beryllium asked 5 questions astir your concern that volition past beryllium shared with archetypal responders. The archetypal question volition inquire what benignant of exigency you are experiencing. Then, you'll beryllium asked who needs assistance and if anyone is injured, fixed a database of exigency descriptions to prime from (stranded, trapped, lost, other). Finally, you're asked if you're connected steep terrain, successful water, a cave, oregon if nary apply. 

Image: Apple

After answering the exigency questions, you'll beryllium asked if you privation to alert your exigency contacts. If you prime yes, anyone you've added arsenic an exigency interaction successful the wellness app volition person an alert containing your location, your answers to the questionnaire, and volition person unrecorded updates of immoderate messages exchanged betwixt you and exigency responders. 

The full process is elemental and streamlined, mirroring a emblematic substance connection conversation. The biggest and astir important difference, however, is that you're connected to a outer astir 850 miles supra the earth. 

With that successful mind, it's important that you travel the directions connected your iPhone to guarantee that your telephone is connected to the satellite. To assistance you support the enactment of connection open, you'll spot a radar-like circle, with the apical conception of it showing an country that turns greenish erstwhile your telephone is pointed astatine and connected to the satellite. 

Again, erstwhile you're sending and receiving messages, it's captious that you support your telephone pointed successful the close direction, different messages won't spell through. Sending a connection tin instrumentality upwards of 30 to 45 seconds successful my briefing testing, possibly longer, depending connected however beardown of a transportation you person with the satellite. 

Also: iOS 16: Here's however casual it is to edit oregon delete messages successful the Messages app

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/ZDNET

That each sounds great, but however tin I effort this earlier I request to usage it? Demo mode!

Remember that demo mode I mentioned astatine the commencement of this story? Well, it gives you a accidental to effort retired what it's similar to nonstop and person messages portion staying connected to a satellite. It's a bully thought to spell done the demo process astatine slightest erstwhile successful bid to get acquainted with however it each works, and that way, should you ever request to usage the feature, you're already familiar. 

To entree the demo, unfastened the Settings app, select Emergency SOS from the database of options, and past scroll to the bottommost of the surface wherever you'll find a conception for Emergency SOS via satellite. Tap Try Demo and past travel the prompts. 

You'll beryllium walked done however and erstwhile the diagnostic is used, however to decently enactment up your telephone with a satellite, and eventually, you'll beryllium presented with a fake speech with an exigency responder. However, the messages you nonstop and person portion successful demo mode are genuinely going betwixt your telephone and the satellite. 

You tin nonstop and person messages until you consciousness similar you've got a wide idea. After which you tin extremity the demo. 

Also: How to adhd your driver's licence to the Apple Wallet app (and wherefore you should)

Use a outer to update your Find My determination

Another diagnostic that leverages the outer connectivity wrong the iPhone 14 lineup is updating your determination successful the Find My app erstwhile you're successful an country with nary cellular oregon Wi-Fi coverage. 

Image: Apple

To update your determination for friends and household members you stock your determination wrong the Find My app utilizing a satellite, unfastened the Find My app, prime the Me tab, and past swipe up to presumption each of the options. There's a conception titled *My Location via outer that volition go progressive erstwhile your telephone lacks immoderate benignant of modular connection. 

You tin usage this method to update your determination erstwhile each 15 minutes. Your Find My friends volition spot a outer icon alongside your Find My avatar to fto them cognize you're successful an country without immoderate signal.